Charlotte Transit

Barber is the most high-profile person to question the roads/transit plan. The Charlotte Regional Business Alliance is leading a $3 million campaign for it to pass, and the tax has broad support among many community leaders.

Mecklenburg voters will decide in November on whether to raise the sales tax by one percentage point, to 8.25%, to pay for a multi-billion-dollar roads and transit plan. We look at some of the criticisms levied against the tax, and whether they hold up.

Mecklenburg County Commissioners gathered in uptown today to approve the wording of a 1-cent sales tax referendum for this year’s municipal ballot.

A bill that would give Mecklenburg County voters the chance to raise the local sales tax by one percentage point won final approval in the General Assembly today, passing the House 102-4. The bill now heads to Gov. Josh Stein’s desk. If voters in Mecklenburg approve the higher sales tax in November, it would fund billions in road improvements and new transit lines.

The Metropolitan Transit Commission voted to adopt the updated Transit System Plan Wednesday night.

Internal polls and surveys conducted by Charlotte Area Transit System show strong majorities have favorable impressions of transit — but that there’s room for improvement, too.

Matthews is hoping to bring the Silver Line light-rail line to the town.

Millions in road money helps shore up support for expanded rail and bus lines; towns could repave and extend streets, build sidewalks, install streetlights — and boost spending on "parks, public safety, you name it" — in Mecklenburg County towns.

The Charlotte City Council on Monday voted 10-1 to buy freight rail tracks from Norfolk Southern. It also voted to ask state lawmakers for permission to place a 1-cent sales tax increase on the November 2025 ballot.